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She pushed the door and entered with a soft Salam on her lips even though she knew none of the few people eating there would hear her, but it was a habit she wouldn’t let go of just because she was in Abuja. She moved to the counter, placed her order before she walked to a table by the window side, and sat down. She figured out the right way to prevent her mind from thinking too much was by calling Farha via video call, and she pulled out her phone without thinking twice.

“Girl!” She waved with a wide grin, glad that she had come along with her AirPods, if not, there was no way Farha wouldn’t embarrass her in this cafeteria. She stared at the beautiful and smiling face of Farha while she waved back at her with a wink.

“Just get into it, I can’t wait. You weren’t acting normal, Jalilah. Have you taken the picture I asked you to?” She asked, and Jalilah threw her head back and laughed, glaring at her.

“What made you think it was a guy, Farha? You know the rules, girl! We aren’t ready yet!” She grinned at her and rolled her eyes when Farha made a grunting sound. “How’s Lagos? How’s Baba? Have you been thanking him for me every day?” Farha stayed in Lagos with her parents, she was the only child too, and their friendship wouldn’t have been better. Just that had no father anymore.

“Baba kept saying you should be careful of those Abuja guys if only he knew!” They laughed at the same time and that was when Jalilah noticed the guy that just sat on the table opposite her, while they were facing each other even though on a different table was no one but him, and she couldn’t resist rolling her eyes.

She didn’t know when she looked away and that expression she had on her face didn’t miss Fadwa’s eyes. “What’s with the look, Jalilah?” She asked, and Jalilah softly smiled.

“Make it a takeaway please.” She told the waiter because she was certain there was no way she would peacefully eat her food while she had this guy sitting right across her on his table. She knew he wouldn’t look at her, but she knew he was there, and that too was enough.

“Nothing, I’m just so hungry and I’d have to miss my class today because we close at 5:30 pm and I have a lot of work to do at home, that’s all.” She scrunched up her face and a part of her eyes stealthily looked up at him. He was ducked into his phone doing the only god knew, and she watched as the waiter asked him what he wanted. ‘The usual,’ that’s all he said. And Jalilah got curious about what his usual would be like.

“Turn the damn camera, Jalilah!” Farha screamed, and that was when she knew she had been staring at him for long.

She quickly masked up her expression, “Why do I have to turn it? What do you want to see? The cafeteria? Farha you can’t disgrace me here, you know that right?” She asked with a hard face, wishing that Farha would let go of her words, but she didn’t.

“Just turn the damn camera, Jalilah. I don’t trust you, you’re staring at a guy, let’s rate him and see.”

“Far…” she wanted to argue, but Farha gave her that straight look that said ‘Look, I know you’re lying. Let’s just get it over with.’ She had no choice but to roll her eyes at Farha before she reluctantly turned the camera and right there, she got the chance to stare at him. How he sat down, how he intensely stared at his phone, everything about him.

“Wallahi he’s cute! Jalilah!!!! This guy is hot oh my freaking god!” Farha’s scream jolted her out of her trance and she quickly masked up her emotions before she turned back the camera.

“He’s my manager, mind your words. It’s not what you’re trying to cook up.” She rolled her eyes while she spoke through gritted teeth afraid that he would hear what she was telling her.

The waiter brought her food and she stood up, holding the leather with one hand while she slung her bag over her shoulder with the other. She moved to the counter doing all she could to ignore Farha’s exaggerating words before she walked out of the cafeteria. She wished she could take another look at him, but that’s likely not going to happen. She had to prove her crazy best friend wrong.

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